Last day in Dublin

This morning we went exploring the side streets of Dublin, the less touristy parts. First St. Patrick's Cathedral. The building dates from 1220 and over the centuries the Cathedral has experienced and survived wars, revolutions and a reformation. According to tradition, St. Patrick used a nearby well to baptize converts to Christianity and a small church was built marking it as a sacred place near the heart of Dublin.  

Inside is aways bigger than it appears from the outside. 

 The floor tiles were amazing. 

 In this Anglican Cathedral, Handel's Messiah was first performed in 1742. This sheet music was copied by John Mathews in 1798.

 For those history buffs....this chair was sat in by King William III in 1690. Can't sit it in today!

 Next we visited the Marsh's Library, right behind the cathedral.

 Not allowed to take photos inside. The library opened in 1701 and was the first public library in Ireland. It houses important collections of European books, and manuscripts from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries. The interior has remained largely unchanged over the past 300 years. The books are in the same position on the shelves in which they were placed three centuries ago. What was quite interesting was the cages people would be put into to read the books, doors locked so the readers couldn't pilfer books,  to stop book theft. Some volumes and pages cut out with a blade still made their way out the door. On display under glass, are some books that were stolen (often from the 1700s) and later found. Some occasionally turned up in Dublin secondhand book shops but more than a thousand have never been returned. 

Next we headed to the Liberty Market but on the way Norm spotted a book store. At some point he says he wont have any more room for books....

Cool store, just opened this week. Two collections of John McPhee's great nonfiction writing were his haul.

 

The market was more of a "everything you need for your house" type market. The stores go on and on inside, a maze.  And they carry the latest fad merchandise too, like "fidget spinners." Three euros or about $5 was the best price we saw at street vendors across the city.

 Walking side streets you get to see interesting things.

 Lots of beer establishments. 

 Found this on telephone poles. Dublin's motto - "The Obedience of the citizens produces a happy city". 

Next Christ Church Cathedral. Didn't go inside since we had just toured one. Liked the look from the road.

 

 

To understand Dublin, you have to know about the Easter Uprising of 1916. The GPO (General Post Office) where it all began has an excellent display of the events. In 2016, the 100th anniversary was a major commemoration and celebration of the event which led to independence and the creation of the modern Irish state.

 

The post office issued stamps for the 100 year remembrance. Some of the leaders, children, civilians that show how all lives were effected on all sides. We

 We are "off to the Theatre" tonight. First dinner and then Edward Albee's "The Play about The Baby". I would say well acted but wow!! But very interesting.... 

 Yes those are anchovies. And dinner was Guiness Pie for Norman and Parmesan Polenta with carrot humus and celeriac for me.  

 Cheers.

 And dessert......

 We took Yellow Bunny but she couldn't see the show very well.

 Up really early this morning, 5:30am, taxi to the Stena line ferry to Holyhead, Wales then a train to Chester, switch at Newport and finally Bristol, England, about six hours in all.

YB enjoyed the train ride. Now to bed. Tomorrow we explore Bristol.